Firearm.



C. H. KENNEY.

FIREARM. APPLICATION FILED IuNE I2, I9I5.

Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Wa' Tv'zesse:

Ej hasj@ C. H. KENNEY.

FIREARM. 'APPLlcATIoN map :uns y12. 1915.

. Patented Mar. 7,1916.

4 SHEETS- SHEET 2.

C. H. KENNEY.

FIREARM.

APPLICATION r|LEn1uNE|2`,l9|5.

, 1,174.1 65. Patented Mar. 7, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4 W19 nesesf- In verz wf:

' Cha/fies H. I1 enza@ .WM www' UNITED lsTATEs PATENT oEEIcE.l

CHBLES II. KENNEY, OF NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND,

MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO' THE NON RECOIL GUN N. Y., lA.\-COBIIE"OIRATION OF YORK.

CORPORATION, OF NEW YOEIK,V

To all lwhom t may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. KENNEY,

.a citizen of the UnitedI States, residing in New London, in the county of New London and .State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Firearms, of which-the following is a speciiication.

My present invention relates to an improvement in firearms, and more specically to a device for neutralizing the recoil forces generated in all guns at the instant of discharge. l

One of the main objects of the present invention is to provide 'a construction whereby the energy in the gases discharged from the gun muzzle'is utilized to impress upon the na force opposite in directionto the recoil force acting on the gun whereby the recoil force is substantially neutralized and obviated.

A particular object of the present construction is the use of a plurality of curveddeiiecting surfaces whereby the gases when being discharged will continually andgrad 'ually change their direction, or rather of which deiecting surfaces, the entire sur to the outside atmosphere in astraight path' of movement, but must at. some place or other be obstructed by a part of the deflecting surfaces, and. in` which the convex surfaces of the passages will tend to create va vacuum so that work 4can be obtained from substantially every particle of discharging ases. I

Still another object of the invention is the division of a plurallty of passagestfor to such passages, and the outle'ts offwhich Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. '7, 1916.

appncation ined June 12, 1915. serial No. 33,643.

` passages are so close to one another, that the discharging jets of gases will substantially unite wlth one another to vform an integral lvolume without intervening friction-creating bodies of lair between the several jets of discharging ases.

And a still further object of the present invention is the provision of an arrange-v ment whereby the discharging gases will be divided into a series ofjets` continually and gradually deflected and discharged in an integral volume without intervening friction-creating bodies of air between the several jets of discharging gases and in a dlrection opposite to their original path of movement. t

Another advantage in my construction is the provision, in conjunction withmy device, of an expansion chamber which is arranged at a' suitable point between the gun barrel proper and my reactor so that the velocity of the expanding gases at the muzzle of. the gun is. increased, thereby carrying a greater amount of energy into my reactor, to be there translated into coulnter-bal'ancing opposition to the gun reco1 These and other features, capabilities and y `advantages of the invention will -appear from the subjoined detailed description of one specific embodiment thereof.

1, looking 'in the direction of the arrow;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary portion of the outer case or reactor container; Fig. 4 is an end view of thejsame; Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5, looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken on line 6-6,.Fig. 3, ylooking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 7 is .a sectional view of the muzzle end of my device; Fig. 8

is a sectional view of theiexpansion cham' ber of my device; Fig. 9 isa perspective view of a pair of my reactorsin nested rela.,-v

tive operative position; Fig. 10 is a side elevatlon of one of my reactors enlarged; Fig. 11 is an axial sectional view thereof;

Fig. 12 is a front elevation of my device i mounted for use; Fig. 13 is a side elevation, mounted for use and Fig. 14 is a diagrammatic View, showingF the actiolr of points of the crescents pointing rearwardly toward the muzzle of the gun so that upon the outward rush of the gases upon theV mo` ment of discharge, and-aided by the natu ral tendency of gases to immediately expand at the point'of emission, the gases find their means of escape directed through Va plurality of backwardly curved ports A,. which are arranged between the component reactor members forming the unit'device. In order to more vfully understand this, reference may be had to Figs. 9, 10 and' 11, wherein it will be noted that the reactor members X consist of a substantially annular -concavoconvex portion B, generally noted by the fully shaded section, 'and that the outer surface C is so arranged as to nest or contact with theinner curved facesY of the separators. or ribs E, Vwhich separators in their annularly spaced positions around the inner-surface of the convex-concave member .B1 form a plurality of isolated seats, which surface C and between which the channels smooth curved gas passages A, and which passages are backwardly turned sc that the Ioncoming gases in the bore of the gun are vintercepted by the adjacent lower endsof the crescents' expand outwardly `through the curved passages A, and are redirected 'outwardly and backwardly towardthe' breech ofv the gun, thereby translating a Vlarge portion of their velocity into forwardactlng ener vwhich counteracts the rearward kick or` recoil due to theprojectile momentum. v

It is'obvious that a greater or lesser num# ber of these` reactor-disks may be arranged "within the'effective gas-expanding zone, and

that each added reactor-disk in .said effectlve zone will increase the reaction effort.

Further' means is also provided on my de-' vice for rendering morel availablevthe energy at the instant of discharge in orderY to obtaln a greater eiciencyfrom'thegiven quantity Vof the expanding gases, and this provision is` disclosed in Fig. 1, at .1G, and'- chamber. H-.and an outwardly .divergent comprises specifically a gas-expandmg chamberV I ,both of which contiguous chambers are .preferably arranged,- (as regards the flow of gases)` intermediate of "the 'straight portionV of the gun bore J, and the entranceintothe reactor proper. l. By means ofthe foregoing noted combined expanding chamber and divergentchamber, the outrushing gases are Acaused to expand rapidly, .thereby increasing the ve-J -cross-section of the channel and that for through a divergent nozzle, its volume is 1ncreased in a greater proportion than the this reason its velocity and momentum are increased. The'greater the expansion in the chambers H, I, the greater the velocity at this point. Obviously, this increase in the velocity and momentum of the discharging gasesY creates a greater counter-effect upon my reactor, thereby adding materially to its reaction on the gun, and reducing the num bei' of reactor disks necessary whenthis feature is omitted. i ,8o By referring to Fig. 14, wherein is 'shown a large section of one of my reactors, the arrows K represent. the How of gases in the direction of travel in the bore, the arrows .they impinge upon the reaction portion F `of the disks, the lines M-M denoting the imaginary annular .line running through the. m'iddle of the portion F between its inner,q and outer edges. It is evident then that the gases, as indicated by the arrows,-K, L, L, While impacting against the surface F, are reversed asv regards direction, and the point of reversal may be assumed to' be atv about vthe lines M-M above noted. Imme- 95. diately thereafter the gases are directed backwardlyrby 'the portion F in the general direction Vof the arrows N, substantially in a direction toward the breech of theY gun.

As the gas discharges along thebore of the reactor.. it is evident'that this bore, geno erally denoted by'O, forms substantially a continuation of the gun bore J, and thatl the boreO presents a plurality of divergent expanding chambers, due to the formation V contour to permit of the above-noted successions of expansion, j and thereforejsuc'?A Veessive changes in velocity as the flowing 115 gases expand to atmospheric pressure. Bygreferring to Fig. 2, which isa -sec? tion of my devicetaken on lined-1, Fig.

1, a win 'aiso'bemadam. the ports A ithemselves aresubstantially divergent, as

indicated at A1, and. owing' to .this conformation, the ribs or contoured seat members E are triangular in'shape, being sharpcned 'at their apexes near the bore, their bases being turned outwardly and being ap- 125 proximately the. same width as the. tension Vmembers P, which formV the outer ribs or stress forming members of the casing, these. ribs being tangentially surfaced atV their` sides, Vthereby forming' -asubstantially di. le@

vergent opening P1, so `that from the instant the discharging gases reach the ii'rst expanding chamber H, with its adjacent divergent' nozzle I, the gas is also passed through transverse divergent openings and that a minimum amount of transverse nonreactingvsurface is presented to the outowing gases.

The cas1ng,vwhich is-.generally denoted vby Q, as indicated in Figs. 1, 3, 5, 6, 7 'and .8, is 'provided with a solid gun engagmg portion R, in which member there 1s a chambered cylindrical pilot part S, which may be smoothly machined, -such as by grinding, inA order that the true cylindrically surfaced end of the gun -at 'I may .be fitted with precision, and the inner portion of the said chamber Svhas cut thereon a4 plurality of, suitable threads U, which cross-sectiomand arranged at the outer endA of the said tension members there is formed an annular member W, which member has a suitable thread W1L cut therein. While in the present instance I have shown the gun engaging portion R, the annular end `W and the tension members P as being made of one piece, and such construction is within the scope of regular shop practice, it is obvious that the. gun engagingV portion R` and the threaded ring member W might be separate members, and the tension members might be made in the form of 'y bolts, means being provided on the members R and W to permit the proper .engagement therewith of said bolts.. In order to form ,a proper-` seat forthe irst reactor member of the group, the member R, near the place of connection with the rectangular members P. and at the junction therewith of the divergent opening I, is provided -with a rounded nose, such as Y, and against which is located the surfaces of the separators E.

Thereafter, the predetermined number of reactor disks, having been placed in the cas.- mg Q, a compresslng nut Z, having suitable threads thereon, is entered into -the ring W .of the said casing, and by ay'suitable wrench is sc rewed up to contact with the reactors, putting them under the desired pressure and locking all of them in place. A proper seat Z1 may be provided in the nut'Z so that the t same will contact accurately and form a perfect seat between the last reactor and the said nut. Owing to the method of nesting the reactor disks X, -it will be seen that when sutlicient tension `has been exerted upon the said disks bythe nut Z,that the device is to all intents a single unitary structure.

c While as previously noted, the gases at the moment of discharge tend to expand` rapidlyafter ignition, it is obvious that the reactor will tend to restrict the gases in the expanding zone, and that therefore a certain amount of gases Will be confined to a forward direction, namely those gases acting in the bore O of the reactor. It istherefore evident that upon the discharge of the gun,'the projectile O1, (Fig. 7 during the outrush ofthe gases through the reactor, will act, through its inertia, in the nature of a valve, uncovering the succeeding ports A on its lpassage through the reactor, and

that therefore the projectile receives added impetus'from the thrust of the gases in the bore O until the'energy thereof is spent bv their exhaustion and discharge.' In order to make this valve action effective, it is necessary that there be not too great a difference in dimensions of the diameter O2 of the bore and the Adiameter O3 of the' projectile,`

so that this valve action -of the projectile for gradually dispersing the gases through the ports A may be made very positive.

In the above-noted assembling, one of the precautions necessary to insure a'proper assembling of the device is to have allof the ribs E lined up -in such a manner that they will 'come immediately under the tension members P so that the continuation of the ports A in the said reactor members X will 'pass between said members P without obstruction, thereby forming complete passages A, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2.

It is obvious that a number of modifications mightbe made in the structure of my device without altering, in any way, the principles involved, and while I have shown in the drawings and described my preferredA form of construction, modifications maybe made therein as a concession to manufacturing, without in any way defrom the spirit or scope of my'iny parting vention. c I claim:

1. In aA gun, a recoil reaction device comprising a chambered b ore having a plurality of-backwardly curved reaction passages sub stantially uniform in width and uninterrupted throughout' their entire extent, the

passages having convex surfaces, and the middlezportion of said convex surfaces being disposed between the ends of such passages to obstruct the discharge therethrough in a straight. line. c

2. -Inva gun, a recoil reaction device com-V prising a chambered bore having a plurality of backwardly curved reaction passages uninterrupted throughout their entire extent, the passages havmg concave and convex wall members, the ends of concavewall 139 member extending over the convex wall member.

3. A recoil reactorlfor guns comprising a plurality of like contoured reaction disks, said disks being substantially concavo-convex, the surfaces thereof forming alternate nesting seats for each other and the' spacebetween two coacting surfaces forming apertures for the outlet of expandinggases, the apertures also being formed by the convexand concave surfaces of the disks and the middle of the convex surface of an aperture being disposed between the middle of the concavepsurface of its aperture and a line in which the ends of such concave surface are disposed.

4. 'As an article ofnganufacture, an annular gas'reactor disk having its convex surface of greater curvature than its concave surface thereby producing aA tapering' conformation.. A

5. As an article of manufacture, an annular gas reactor disk having its convex surface ofv greater curvature than its concave i of said-triangle being located at the perimee ter of said disk, the apex of said triangle being located at the inner portion of said disk' so that only deiecting surfaces and no obstructing surface will be presented to the interior of the disk.

7. The combination a gun, of a recoil reaction device comprising a chambered bore having a plurality Vof backwardly curved reaction outlets therein an 'initial concave gas expanding chamber located between said gun and said reactlon device, and a divergent A gas-expanding chamber disposed adjacent to said Y concave gas -expanding chamber and located between said concave expandmg chamber'and said reaction device.

8. A casing for holding a plurality of recoil reaction plates in operative alinement with a gun bore, said casing having gun attaching means thereon and compressive' recoil-disk adjusting means thereon, and ribs extending between said gun attaching means and said recoil-disk attaching means,the ribs being sufficiently spaced apart to permit a discharge from between said plates to the outside atmosphere, said gun attach- -ing means comprising a straight cylindrical gun-muzzle guldlng-bore and threads in a portion of said bore, said reaction diskholding means comprising a threaded cap having a recoil-reaction. disk-engaging seat 10. In a gun, a recoil reaction device comv prising a chambered bore and a plurality of backwardly curved reaction passages uninterrupted throughout their entire extent,

'the passages having concave, and convex wall members, the middle of thonvex wall member being disposed between the middle A Y of the concave wall-member and a line that passes through the ends of such concave wall member.

11,. In a gun, a recoil reaction device comprising a series of concavo-convex plates held'together, there gas reaction outlets formed between such plates, the convex surfaces ofl theplates having a greater curvature than the concave surfaces to form substantially uniform passages with one -another.

12. In a gun, a recoil reaction device comprising a series of concavo-convex plates held together, there being gas reaction outlets formed between such plates, the convex surfaces of the plates having a greater curvature than the concave surfzres to form substantially uniform passages with one another and the middle of a convex surface being disposed between the middle of a concave surface and a line that passes through .the ends of'such concave surface.

' v 'CHARLES H. KENNEY'.Y Witnesses: H., D. PENNEY, W. L.' BAKELAB. 

